God's Loss... To Be Regained

A blog prompted by some thoughts I had as I walked back from school this morning...

This winter break I had the chance to spend a few days in my childhood town. I was looking forward to go for a walk through the town all alone, and just spend time with my thoughts and my memories as I visited my favorite places, some of which I had not seen for over ten years: the elementary school where I studied, the high-school, favorite stores, the bakery from where I used to buy bread and other goodies, the parks were I liked to hang out with friends. Many things came alive on my insufficient walk. It felt as if it all happened so long ago.


The town has changed in several aspects. It has developed a lot in the meantime, and I was glad for that (I suppose progress is a good thing, although I would debate much on the discrimination it sometimes shows towards some growth areas, especially in the moral sphere, but that’s for another blog)…I was artistically impressed by some of the changes; and yet, the marks of progress had no significance for me. Newer buildings may be more beautiful, but they don’t mean anything to me. What I was looking for were the places I knew, the places I grew up with, the places I was familiar with. Familiarity builds attachment (the things we are familiar with become part of us, part of who we are: the husband or wife, the school we’ve attended, the way we do certain things).

So I was pleased and happy to see that some things are the same. I felt like part of me can still exist because of that. If I were to one day visit my home-town and see that everything has changed, that all the things I grew up with are gone, I would most likely feel like a part of me has been lost.

This made me think of the familiarity that existed once between God and man, when He used to walk and talk with Adam and Eve face to face; the very first steps of humanity…

Sadly, there came a day when this familiarity was lost, when God could no longer spend time with them face-to-face. I’ve thought before of how difficult it must have been for our first parents. But how about God? Didn’t He felt the loss as this familiarity was no longer possible? For over six thousand years now, He’s been watching over us, revealing Himself to us, communicating in whatever way possible, provided our lives be kept. For over six thousand years He was deprived of the chance to talk to us face to face. For over six thousand years He’s been hiding Himself in order to preserve our life, like a lover who is watching his beloved in hiding, because if he revealed himself, her life would be in danger.

Ellen White, under inspiration, wrote in Patriarchs and Prophets that, before the flood, God moved the Garden of Eden to heaven.

Maybe God also goes there from time to time, and meditates on the wonderful moments He used to spend with Adam and Eve. He must have loved those moments. In fact, he surely loved them. So much that He decided there had to be a way to be reunited with those whose company and fellowship He valued immensely. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also. “ (Joh 14:3) And one day, soon enough, that which was lost will be regained.


Sometimes I wonder if we really understand just how much we are worth...